Way Back Home
by closetromantic07
Summary: 8 years post-series. Aya comes back to Japan after leaving everything behind, including Rei. She finds that nothing is like it was before especially now that Rei has a new girlfriend. Even the gang is a little broken. Aya realizes that she might have made a big mistake. Can things really go back to the way they used to be? AyaxRei


**AN: Hi! This is my first fanfic on anything! Been missing this anime a lot so I decided to write something. Hope you guys enjoy!**

Present Day

_Flashback_

**Disclaimer: I don't own Super Gals! If I did, Aya and Rei would have had more moments together...**

**Chapter 1: Goodbyes**

The bustling sounds of bags being dragged, feet hurrying to the gates, flights being paged on the speakers, last-minute goodbyes and reminders filled the busy airport. People are on their phones, slipping in one last phone call before they have to leave. Some wait until the last minute to board the plane, hoping to spend a few more seconds where they were. Perhaps airports are some of the saddest places on earth because in these places people leave, and people get left behind.

However, sometimes they come home.

A woman with raven hair just a few inches past her shoulders, wearing a trench coat and shades, pushing a cart with a couple of luggage stepped out of the arrival area. Scanning the area as she stepped out of the airport she took a deep breath and gave herself a little smile. She thought, '_I'm home.'_ Hoshino Aya continued to push her cart and hailed herself a cab to take her to her apartment.

It had been four years already, she could barely believe it. She opened the door to her apartment which she hasn't set foot in for that exact number of years and found everything exactly as she left it. The living room was the first thing you could see when you enter the door. The table in the center, the couches surrounding the table, and the television against the wall the couches were facing were all covered with cloth. Four year's worth of dust have accumulated and her nose could now tell. Aya wished she took her father's offer to have it cleaned before she came home.

She made her way to the empty dining area to the right of the living room. The round, glass table and the four chairs around it were covered by plastic this time. To the right of the living room was the kitchen, it was just as empty. She took simply took a glance before making her way to her room whose door was right beside the television on the living room.

Aya entered her room and all sorts of memories came flooding in. She saw her bookcase to the right of the door which reminded her that even before going to medical school, she was already such a nerd. She brushed her hand slightly at the light pink wallpapers she could swear is now fading. She sat on her mattress covered in plastic and remembered the numerous times she wanted to sleep on her bed while she was pulling off all-nighters. Her bedside table was just as dusty as the rest of her furniture, but unlike the rest she was pretty sure this was not empty.

She pulled out one of the drawers on her bedside table and took out a dusty picture frame. Aya wiped the dust off with her fingers, she hardly minded the dirt. The picture, she recalled was when she was in high school, probably the best time of her life. In that picture two other girls were with her: a corn-haired girl with a smile on her face that went from ear-to-ear, and a blond-haired girl with a pink highlight who was giving a wink to the camera.

_It was a beautiful, sad night. All three of them were in Ran's room catching up after a couple of weeks of not being complete. Kotobuki Ran was telling them stories about the police academy and how she thinks she'll finally be able to graduate that year. Both her friends weren't too hopeful but gave the super Gal the support she needed._

_Yamazaki Miyu, now Kotobuki Miyu, has been busy with her internship as a pre-school teacher. After her internship she can finally graduate and officially teach little children. Married life has also been treating her well, she was always blooming. Obviously the romance has not died after four years of marriage._

"_So, Aya, Miyu and I have been rambling about ourselves all night!" Ran exclaimed. "What's going on with you these days?"_

_Miyu nodded. "Yeah, Aya. I haven't seen you in two weeks. Is everything alright? You seem to be troubled."_

_Aya hesitated. She looked at her friends with her gentle eyes and gave a weak smile. "Actually, there's something I've been meaning to tell you guys."_

_Ran and Miyu sat a little closer to their friend, worry written all over their faces. This only made it harder for Aya to tell them her news._

"_I've gotten accepted into medical school." She finally said._

"_Holy shit, Aya! That's great news! You've worked so hard for that! THAT'S SO AWESOME!" Ran, being her usual , energetic self, gave her dark-haired friend a tight hug._

_Miyu, on the other hand seemed to notice that their friend was not as excited. "What's wrong, Aya? That's exciting news, but you don't seem happy."_

_Ran let go of her friend to see if Miyu was right. She obviously was. Aya gave her friends another weak smile. "I am! It's just… It's in America."_

_Ran and Miyu both gave a "What?!"_

"_I got into a prestigious medical school in the US, practically full scholarship," she started, keeping her eyes away from her friends. "My professors gave me stellar recommendations. I never thought I'd get in, really. I just gave the application a chance. But now… now it's here. I got in, and it's a huge opportunity."_

_There was a pause that seemed to last longer than it was. Ran broke the silence first. "So I'm guessing you already made a decision."_

_She nodded, not looking at her friends. "I've talked to my father, he's arranged things for me already." She finally got the courage to look at her friends and unexpectedly saw both of them smiling._

"_It's your decision and if you're sure about it then I'll be glad to support you a hundred percent!" Ran gave her endearing smile. Miyu gave a smile that signified the same things._

_A tear ran down her cheek. "Thanks, guys!" She did have the most awesome set of friends anyone could ask for. They hugged it out._

_Once the hug broke, Miyu asked, "have you told Otohata yet?"_

Aya snapped back to reality. _Otohata Rei._ Her first love, her only love still. There was a pain in her heart she could not pinpoint. The person she regretted most leaving was him. Aya pulled out another picture frame from her bedside table. It was a picture of her, smiling, even her blush was captured in the photo, with a certain brown-haired man.

_It was raining that day. Rei and Aya were in a café, one they usually ate at together. They would usually go there to study together, have a little chitchat, eat some good food, and study some more. That was usually how their dates went, not always, but usually. It was simple. It was them._

_Aya had grown since high school. She was more decisive, a little-more outspoken, and less insecure. She was more confident in herself and her relationship with the most popular guy in Shibuya. After all, they been through a lot in high school and have dated mostly through college. Yet, somehow she remained to be sweet, thoughtful, and selfless._

_And maybe that how slowly but surely Rei developed her feelings for the dark-haired beauty. Her change amazed him, although he did not say it out loud. The ice prince was definitely not affectionate, but every now and then he would do little things that made Aya feel special. From time to time as they walked down the streets of Shibuya he would take her hand and intertwine his fingers with hers. He would tell his friends or classmates who try to hit on his girlfriend to back the hell off. Rei would give her an occasional hug when she was stressed or was down. All of these actions made Aya blush, but she blushed the most when he gave Aya her first kiss._

_Back in the café, Rei was reviewing for his upcoming finals. He was going to become a civil engineer. Nobody expected that from him, but with Rei it was hard to predict what he was gonna do._

_Aya was just pretending to read her book as she gathered the courage to tell him her news. She stopped reading and looked at the boy across the table, elbow on the table as he cheek rested on his hand whilst the free hand was turning the pages of the book. She stared at the man she loved for a while wondering if she can even do it._

"_What is it?" he asked, his gaze still on his book._

_Aya was caught off guard and she couldn't say a word. Finally, he looked at her._

"_Is there something you wanted to say?" For all the years they've been together, Rei probably already knew that._

"_I…" she mumbled. It was now or never. "I got into medical school."_

_He said nothing._

"_I got into medical school… in the States." It's finally out there. How would he react, she wondered. Was he mad? Was he sad? Finally she looked at his eyes, those beautiful, mysterious eyes._

"_I know." Was all he said._

_She was stunned. "H-how?"_

"_I saw the letter scattered on your table in your apartment," he explained. "You can be a scatterbrain sometimes."_

"_So…" she started. "What do you think? What do you think I should do?"_

_He shrugged. "It's your decision."_

_She felt disappointment in her heart. She expected angry, shocked, or sad, but not this. He's still the ice prince he was in high school. "I… Do you want me to go?"_

"_It's your decision to make, Aya." Yes it was, that's always what he said. Always her decision. "I think… I think it's great that you got into that school. It's really a good opportunity."_

_She felt like she was about to cry, maybe she already was, she wasn't too aware. A huge part of her wanted him to stop her, to tell her not to go, that she was going to have the same education here and at least he'd be with her._

_It was a long silence that Rei finally broke. "Look, Aya," she looked at him with tear-filled eyes, "for what it's worth, whatever your decision will be, I'd support you."_

"_So…" she could swear her voice croaked at this point. "What… what will happen to us?"_

_Rei, chin on his fist, looked out the window, into the pouring rain. "… I don't know," he whispered to the air._

Aya remembered how that night she truly felt like the world was crying for her. Til this day she wondered what could be if Rei told her what he wanted, if he fought for her to stay. But Rei was not that kind of guy, she thought. Maybe for him it was not worth the fight.

A ring from her phone took her away from all her thoughts. She looked at her phone. "Oh no. I'm late."

**End of Chapter**

**AN: Hope you guys liked it! It's just a simple flashback chapter so it might be a little boring, more to come! R&R**


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